What do I need in a new bike?

[cpjmathieson]

I'm thinking about getting a new bike. A man I know said he can build me a mid range road bike for aout £300 to £350.
I currently ride a Ridgeback speed 2008 with the following specs....

Frame: 6061 Aluminium frame
Gears: Shimano MegaRange transmission
Shifters: Shimano ST EF50 EZFire Shifters
Chainset: Shimano M191 48 tooth chainset with Shimano UN26 Bottom Bracket
Brakes: V-Brakes
Wheels: Alex Z-1000 rims built on bolt on hubs
Tyres: Continental Country Ride Tyres
Handlebar: Riser Bar
Stem: Two bolt quick change stem
Saddle: Padded Saddle
Pedals/Extras: Alloy rack with Chromo plastic guards and pedals

What I want is a bike I can ride distance on ie about 50 to 80 plus miles and be able to climb hills easier than I am struggling with now....I found the Ditchling Beacon a right sod and only managed half way up.

What do I need ie gear ratios etc
I confess to not knowing too much about bikes so your help is appreciated
Thank you

[Polar Bear]

Do you mean that he can build it up for £350 plus the cost of the parts, or he can do it all up for £350?

If the latter it sounds like an unbelievable bargain.

[cpjmathieson]

Do you mean that he can build it up for £350 plus the cost of the parts, or he can do it all up for £350?

If the latter it sounds like an unbelievable bargain.

All in including parts...he's a professional bike mechanic,bike builder

My current bike for clarification has Shimano MF TZ31 7 Speed Mega Range Screw On Freewheel 14-34

[Woofage]

Your bike is pretty low-geared as it is so getting up hills more easily will be down to either having a lighter bike and/or improved strength and fitness. Whatever you do, don't let the person supplying the new bike fit "racing" gear ratios. By that I mean stick with a 48/38/28 chainset (or similar) and not opt for a 52/42/30 that a road triple would normally have.

[cpjmathieson]

Your bike is pretty low-geared as it is so getting up hills more easily will be down to either having a lighter bike and/or improved strength and fitness. Whatever you do, don't let the person supplying the new bike fit "racing" gear ratios. By that I mean stick with a 48/38/28 chainset (or similar) and not opt for a 52/42/30 that a road triple would normally have.

That's what I thought....It probably is down to me getting fitter lol
which makes me wonder if it is worth me paying out more for a new bike Hmmmm

[clarion]

No.  As discussed in the Further & Faster board right now, there is a benefit to having a lighter, tighter, stiffer bike to ride.  And that applies whatever your state of fitness (within reason).  You could benefit from having something a bit sportier.  It might be more fun to ride, so you ride it more, for one.

[Butterfly]

I don't know anything about gears or stuff, but you will almost certainly be more comfortable on something that is designed for riding distances. The speed bikes are good, but they are designed for commuting and shopping and town riding, not 50 + miles and Ditchling. With something designed for longer distances, you may still not make it up Ditchling (I wouldn't) but you'll get to the bottom of Ditchling happier .

What Clarion said whilst I was typing, really.

[clarion]

The best idea is to go to your local branch of Evans (don't go to a small lbs - if you're not going to buy it's noit fair, and Evans have a wider range and are gits anyway ).  Try out a selection of bikes, including full-on road bikes, light tourers, and maybe one of the cyclo-cross crossovers like a Kona Jake or a Specialized tricross.

What you're looking for is something that feels more responsive than your current mount (though remember that you're not carrying your luggage, lock etc on the test bike), and yet more comfortable.  If it's a harsh ride, you won't enjoy your riding - and it's all about fun, isn't it?

Once you've done some test rides, you will know what suits you, although you'll probably have a whole load more questions.  Come back and ask us, and we'll do our best to answer.

At the end of the day, there is no 'right' answer, and, on a typical yacf ride, you will see an extraordinarily wide range of bikes & trikes.  Get something that works for you.

[Biggsy]

I'm thinking about getting a new bike. A man I know said he can build me a mid range road bike for aout £300 to £350.

For that money it's going to be near bottom end rather than mid range unless perhaps your man is obtaining the parts at trade prices and making no profit for himself.  Is that the case?

[cpjmathieson]

I'm thinking about getting a new bike. A man I know said he can build me a mid range road bike for aout £300 to £350.

For that money it's going to be near bottom end rather than mid range unless perhaps your man is obtaining the parts at trade prices and making no profit for himself.  Is that the case?

He will be getting parts at trade prices...however there was no mention of how much he will earn..however me and my partner at work did help him get a contract with the Met Police to maintain their fleet so maybe its a favor in return who knows

[clarion]

Your first consideration should be getting the right frame.  It needs to be light enough, and fit well enough that you can put cheaper components on it for now, and upgrade later.  If you have good components but a poor frame, your options are worse...

[vorsprung]

If you want to get up the hill quicker

1) loose weight

2) buy some better tyres

3) buy a track pump and keep the tyres at the correct pressure

A cheap drop bar bike will be quicker than your current bike on flat terrain due to it's better aerodynamic position and better tyres
If you put better tyres on your current bike it will be the same as a cheap racer up hill

An expensive racer might be slighly better as it would be slightly lighter.  It might have other advantages like wheels with a low rotational weight.  But if you lost a Kg or two of body weight that would be pretty similar

When I wanted a new (faster, lighter) bike I lost a over a stone in weight.  I used the promise to myself of a new bike if I could get under the weight target.

[Greenbank]

"It's not about the bike."

I'm only 3 minutes quicker over a gentle rolling 20 mile course on a stiff light (sub 8kg) carbon fibre bike with speedy 23mm race tyres than a 11kg steel fixed with still relatively quick 25mm commuting/audax tyres but with not aero-dynamic mudguards.

[cpjmathieson]

If you want to get up the hill quicker

1) loose weight

2) buy some better tyres

3) buy a track pump and keep the tyres at the correct pressure

Do you know me?? lol..its official then I am a fat git and need to lose a few pounds or more lol

So it may be cheaper to try losing weight and having a spare set  of wheels with super skinny tyres on them??

[clarion]

No doubt it would be cheaper.

But n+1 is very seductive...

[cpjmathieson]

No doubt it would be cheaper.

But n+1 is very seductive...

n+1 ??  whats that 

[Woofage]

n+1 ??  whats that  

Are you sure you want to know?

(click to show/hide)

The number of bikes wanted/needed, N, is given by:
N = n+1
where n = the number of bikes currently owned.

[MSeries]

Chris.M a lighter (better) bike will not necessarily be your silver bullet. You will probably make it go faster but it will not magically transform you into Mark Cavendish or Alberto Contador. It will not be the end of your struggle and hurt.  It may encourage you to get out more and get fitter though which will reap benefits. It might not happen this summer either, it depends on you and what you do.

I am not advocating you don't buy a new bike, far from it. Get a nice bike and ride it, lots, enjoy it. You may at first need low gears but over time you'll get fitter and stronger and use the lower gears less often, that's how it happened with me.

[cpjmathieson]

Thanks everyone...maybe I'll stick with what I've got for now and try and up my fitness...any ideas on what sort or training I need or is it just rides loads of painful hills lol
cheers

[MSeries]

Thanks everyone...maybe I'll stick with what I've got for now and try and up my fitness...any ideas on what sort or training I need or is it just rides loads of painful hills lol
cheers

Well, for me I improved my climbing by fitting lower gears. It enabled me to ride for longer in the hills which had the effect of causing me to lose weight which made it easier and made me enjoy it more and want to do it more.  All that was a few years ago. In the last 18 months I have taken another step up by weight training. Riding lots will work but there are methods that yield quicker results.

[alan]

Riding lots will work but there are methods that yield quicker results.

Tell me more please

[mrcharly-YHT]

Cross training is one.  Weight training that targets your core muscles and builds absolute strength in your cycling muscles will make a big difference, relatively quickly.

[vorsprung]

Riding lots will work but there are methods that yield quicker results.

Tell me more please

If you ride lots the training is non specific

#1 In the example given if Chrism just went out and rode some random terrain at random intensity most days then eventually he would get a tiny bit fitter

#2 If the training was more structured and there took the following form (for example)
monday: easy day tues: interval training weds: interval training thurs: easy day fri: sprints sat: club run sun: long ride
he would improve quicker

#3 If he specifically picked a hill, rode it twice a week as fast as he could and then did a long ride at the weekend this would show a quicker rate of improvement at hills than #1. This might take the same or less time out of the week than method #1 but less than #2

#3 If he got a power metre, found his FTP and rode his hill at or around FTP, and then retested regularly to ensure he was always at this optimium level for training, then he might improve even quicker